Mansinhbhai Kalyanjibhai Patel | CoopPeople | CoopWiki

Tenure/Life Period: January 8, 1934 – May 21, 2021
Association and Role within Society or Entity: Long-term Chairman of the Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union (SUMUL); and Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).
Contributions to the Cooperative Sector: Patel pioneered the integration of technology and veterinary care within primary-level dairy networks across South Gujarat. He introduced computer-aided milk fat collection testing machines and automated payment centers at the grassroots village level, ensuring transparent transactions for illiterate farmers.
He focused on organizing tribal landless laborers and migrant women into viable dairy cooperative units, providing them with subsidized cattle feed, animal insurance, and intensive veterinary services. This structural support established a sustainable alternative income stream that prevented distress migration to nearby industrial hubs.
Awards and Recognitions: Posthumously awarded the highly regarded IFFCO Sahakarita Ratna Award for the financial year 2023–24 in recognition of his deep structural impact on primary-level dairy cooperatives.